JAMAICA: GOJ OFFICIALS RAISE QUESTIONS/CONCERNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 000820 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (RBUDDEN) E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017 TAGS: ECON PGOV PHUM PREL SOCI OAS XM XL JM SUBJECT: JAMAICA: GOJ OFFICIALS RAISE QUESTIONS/CONCERNS ON LUIS POSADA CARILES REF: A. STATE 57474 ¶B. STATE 69182 ¶C. E-MAIL COMMUNICATION FROM D. MCCARTHY ON 05/22/2007 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James T Heg for Reason 1.5 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Deputy Director of WHA/CAR Karen Williams, DCM, and poloff visited Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) Permanent Secretary Ambassador Douglas Saunders on May 22. Williams raised the issue of the Government of Venezuela's attempts to enlist OAS support in calling for the extradition of Luis Posada Cariles to Venezuela. Saunders was unsure where the resolution was in the process or, if it were to be formally introduced, what the Government of Jamaica's (GOJ) stance would be. ¶2. (C) Saunders did raise concerns regarding the Cariles case noting "it does seem from the outside that the (U.S. approach) doesn't seem to match the gravity of the event." Williams explained the current status of the legal case against Cariles and assured Saunders that Cariles is under 24 hour monitoring. She further assured Saunders that Cariles has not/not been "set free" but still faces charges. Williams also noted that part of the ruling from the U.S. immigration judge stated in no uncertain terms that Cariles cannot be deported to either Cuba or Venezuela because U.S. law prohibits deportation of any individual to a nation where they may be subjected to torture. ¶3. (C) Saunders stated that the U.S. "seems to be in denial that (Cariles) was involved (in a bombing)." Saunders inquired about the nature of the extradition treaty between Venezuela and the U.S. Williams reported that Venezuela's request for extradition was "imperfect" and that Venezuela had not refilled. ¶4. (C) Saunders pointedly remarked that this case is an excellent example of why an institution like the International Criminal Court would be useful. He then asked whether the U.S. would release Cariles to Guyana. Williams confirmed the U.S. would if Guyana would prosecute him and not turn him over to Venezuela or Cuba. She also noted that there is no current court case filed against Cariles in Guyana. Johnson